No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

No abstract available.
Spleen*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to analyze the utilization behaviour and influencing factors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies among elderly people with chronic diseases. METHODS: The study population was selected among 9 welfare facilities for the aged in 2 cities among Daegu Metropolitan City & Gyeongsangnam Province by two-stage cluster sampling. 250 senior citizens participated in a face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the utilization of CAM therapies and various characteristics of the elderly. All statistics were analyzed using the PASW (ver 18.0). RESULTS: Among 233 elderly peoples, 70.4% (164 persons) had used various kinds of CAM therapies (including nutritional methods, pharmacologic and biologic treatments, etc.) more than once during the last year. 48.8% (64 persons) ~ 60.7% (88 persons) of the elderly used CAM therapies without health and medical experts' counsel. The elderly with perceptions of CAM therapy used it 2 times more than those without knowledge of CAM therapies. The number of chronic diseases was more likely to increase the usage of nutritional methods (OR=2.92, 95% CI: 1.07-7.97), manipulative and body-based practices (OR=5.85, 95% CI: 1.97-17.34), pharmacologic and biologic treatments (OR=2.92, 95% CI: 1.49-8.17). Elderly with diabetes used nutritional methods 3.76 (95% CI: 1.49-9.47) more than elderly without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: CAM therapies use in the aged with chronic diseases appears common. The findings suggest that the clinical efficacy and safety of CAM therapies on medical management of chronic disease may be investigated and that patient-physician communication need to be strengthened.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Complementary Therapies ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (Masson's hemangioma) is a disease characterized by exuberant endothelial proliferation within the lumen of medium-sized veins. In 1923, Masson regarded this disease as a neoplasm inducing endothelial proliferation, however, now it is considered to be a reactive vascular proliferation following traumatic vascular stasis. The lesion has a propensity to occur in the head, neck, fingers, and trunk. Occurrence within the abdominal cavity is known to be very rare, and especially in the liver, there has been no reported case up to date. The authors have experienced intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia of the liver in a 69-yr-old woman, and report the case with a review of the literature.
Aged ; Angiography ; Endothelium, Vascular/pathology ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma/*pathology/surgery ; Human ; Liver/*blood supply/*pathology ; Necrosis ; Vascular Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery

We reviewed 36 patients with carcinoid tumors, which had been diagnosed at the St. Mary's hospital, Kangnam St. Mary's hospital and St. Vincent's hospital affiliated with Catholic Medical Center during 18 years from July 1978 to June 1996. The peak age group was the third decade (25%), and the sex ratio of males to females was 1.57 : 1 with an age range of 13 to 73 years. The most common location of the tumors was the bronchus, 11 cases; next were the rectum, 9 cases, and the appendix, 5 cases. These were followed by the stomach, the duodenum, the ovaries, the gallbladder, the thymus, the sigmoid colon, and the ascending colon. One of cases had such widespread metastases that its primary site of origin could not be determined. According to the embryological classification, the foregut was the most common site, 15 cases; next were the hindgut, 10 cases, and the midgut, 7 cases. The malignant potential is determined by the size, the histological feature of the tumor, and the status of the regional lymph nodes. Among these, the size of the tumor was the most important; the extent of the resection was usually determined by the size of the tumors.There were no cases of classic carcinoid syndrome, but two cases of rectal and duodenal carcinoid tumors had symptoms similar to those of the carcinoid syndrome. We experienced three synchronous carcinomas and one metachronous carcinoma of different sites on the carcinoid tumors.
Appendix ; Bronchi ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Classification ; Colon, Ascending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Duodenum ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Rectum ; Sex Ratio ; Stomach ; Thymus Gland

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the sonographic findings of neonatal coccygeal abscess,previously not described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen neonates (5-18 days old) presented with swelling in thecoccygeal area and by either open drainage (n=13) or follow-up after antibiotic therapy (n=5), this was diagnosedas coccygeal abscess. We retrospectively reviewed the size, shape, location, echo pattern and marginalcharacteristics of the abscesses, as seen on sonography, as well as their intradural content and relationship withthe spine. Additional MR images (n=5) were separately reviewed. RESULTS: Mean longest diameter of the abscesseswas 1.5cm (range, 0.8-2.3); they were oval or round and located in the subcutaneous fat layer. Echogenicitycompared with surrounding fat varied: in nine patients it was isoechoic, and in nine, hypoechoic. Internalechogenicity was homogenous in 14 patients and heterogeneous in four, and in seven cases, the margin of theabscess was well demarcated. Intradural structure and bony spines were normal, and the possibility of spinaldysraphism, could thus be excluded. All cases except one were correctly diagnosed by sonography and clinicalfindings; on sonography, the echogenicity of one lesion was exactly the same as that of lipoma, and it was thusmisdiagnosed. In cases where sonography revealed an isoechoic mass, the use of MR excluded the possibility oflipoma. Three of five cases showed marginal or diffuse enhancement on contrast enhanced MR images. CONCLUSION: Coccygeal absesses were confined to the subcutaneous fat layer and were either iso- or hypoechoic compared. withsurrounding fat. In neonates, abscess formation in the coccygeal area is possible, and coccygeal abscess shouldtherefore be included in the differentiation of coccygeal masses.
Abscess* ; Coccyx ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Lipoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: To analyse and interpret different sonographic findings in acute nonperforated and appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 46 cases of acute appendicitis in children(26 girls, 20 boys) proven by surgery, sonographic findings were reviewed retrospectively. The findings of nonperforated and perforated appendicitis were analysed, focusing on the size, shape and echogenicity of the appendix, echo patterns of periappendiceal abscesses, mesenteric lymphadenopathy, and the prevalence of appendicolith. RESULTS: A noncompressible distended appendix was present in 18 of 21 patients with nonperforated appendicitis and in 13 of 25 patients with perforation. In 18 patients with nonperforated appendicitis, the average diameter of distended appendix was 8.6mm;target appearance was noted in 16 patients and loss of echogenic submucosa in two. In 13 patients with perforated appendicitis, the average diameter of appendix was 9.1 mm;target appearance was noted in four patientsand loss of echogenic submucosa in nine. periappendiceal abscesses were present in 21 of 25 cases of perforated appendicitis, and the echogenicity of abscesses was mixed in 12 patients, hypoechogenic in eight, and hyperechogenic in one. Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was present in two of 21 patients with nonperforated appendicitis and in four of 25 with perforation. Appendicolith was detected on sonography in three of 25 patients with perforated appendicitis, but was found in seven patients during surgery. One patients with perforated appendicitis also had right side hydronephrosis. Sonographically false-negative results were obtained in sixcases. CONCLUSION: A sonographic examination was useful to differenciate perforated and nonperforated appendicitis in children. Loss of echogenic submucosa in the distended appendix and periappendiceal abscess formation were important findings in diagnosis of perforated appendicitis.
Abscess ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To describe the two-phase spiral CT findings of acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTscans of nine patients with surgically-proven acute cholecystitis were retrospectively reviewed for wallthickening, enhancement pattern of the wall, attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder, gallstones,gallbladder distention, gas collection within the gallbladder, pericholecystic fluid and infiltration ofpericholecystic fat. RESULT: In all cases, wall thickening of the gallbladder was seen, though this was moredistinct on delayed images, Using high-low-high attenuation, one layer was seen in five cases, nd three layers infour. On arterial images, eight cases showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to thegall bladder;four of these showed curvilinear attenuation and four showed subsegmental attenuation. One caseshowed curvilinear decreased attenuation between increased attenuation of the liver and the gallbladder, andduring surgery, severe adhesion between the liver and gallbladder was confirmed. Additional CT findings wereinfiltration of pericholecystic fat (n=9), gallstones (n=7), gallbladder distension (n=6), pericholecystic fluid(n=3), and gas collection within the gallbladder (n=2). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute cholecystisis,two-phase spiral CT revealed wall thickening in one or three layers ; on delayed images this was more distint. Inmany cases, arterial images showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder.
Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Liver ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic liver disease leads to liver fibrosis, and although the liver does have a certain regenerative capacity, this disease is associated with dysfunction of the liver vessels. C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced in the liver and circulated from there for metabolism. CRP was recently shown to inhibit angiogenesis by inducing endothelial cell dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of CRP levels on angiogenesis in a rat model of liver dysfunction induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). METHODS: The diameter of the hepatic vein was analyzed in rat liver tissues using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The expression levels of angiogenic factors, albumin, and CRP were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blotting. A tube formation assay was performed to confirm the effect of CRP on angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with lithocholic acid (LCA) and siRNA-CRP. RESULTS: The diameter of the hepatic portal vein increased significantly with the progression of cirrhosis. The expression levels of angiogenic factors were increased in the cirrhotic liver. In contrast, the expression levels of albumin and CRP were significantly lower in the liver tissue obtained from the BDL rat model than in the normal liver. The CRP level was correlated with the expression of albumin in hepatocytes treated with LCA and siRNA-CRP. Tube formation was significantly decreased in HUVECs when they were treated with LCA or a combination of LCA and siRNA-CRP. CONCLUSION: CRP seems to be involved in the abnormal formation of vessels in hepatic disease, and so it could be a useful diagnostic marker for hepatic disease.
Angiogenic Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Animals ; Bile Ducts/surgery ; C-Reactive Protein/*analysis/genetics/metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hepatic Veins/abnormalities ; Hepatocytes/cytology/metabolism ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Lithocholic Acid/pharmacology ; Liver/metabolism/pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Liver Diseases/metabolism/*pathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mitochondria/drug effects/metabolism ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serum Albumin/genetics/metabolism

No abstract available.